


Our Souls Touched Across An Ocean And A Century

by beautifuldaydreams



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Gen, I have a thing about the Avengers having movie nights, M/M, Romance, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, and Thor in silly boxers, sorta - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-07
Updated: 2016-06-07
Packaged: 2018-07-12 22:20:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7124569
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beautifuldaydreams/pseuds/beautifuldaydreams
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Your soulmate is the person with whom you will share the deepest love. While each person in existence has a soulmate, it is impossible to identify your soulmate without the occurrence of the Bond and, consequently, the Marks. The Bond occurs when two soulmates become emotionally close enough for their souls to touch, causing the Marks, a “physical manifestation of the partner’s soul” (Defini, 1768), to appear on the skin of each of the two individuals. Due to the impossibility of recognising ones soulmate, and the difficulty in achieving sufficient closeness, Marks are very rare, occurring only a few times per decade. It is thought that approximately 36% of long term relationships are between non-soulmate couples.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Our Souls Touched Across An Ocean And A Century

**Author's Note:**

> So...
> 
> This was always going to happen eventually. I'm so sorry. I don't even know what this ending is, but this fic has been annoying me so much I just thought I'd get rid of it. 
> 
> Yup, just... don't judge me too harshly.

_Soulmates_

_Your soulmate is the person with whom you will share the deepest love. While each person in existence has a soulmate, it is impossible to identify your soulmate without the occurrence of the Bond and, consequently, the Marks. The Bond occurs when two soulmates become emotionally close enough for their souls to touch, causing the Marks, a “physical manifestation of the partner’s soul” (Defini, 1768), to appear on the skin of each of the two individuals. Due to the impossibility of recognising ones soulmate, and the difficulty in achieving sufficient closeness, Marks are very rare, occurring only a few times per decade. It is thought that approximately 36% of long term relationships are between non-soulmate couples._

“…and so, I hope you will all join me in congratulating our resident dinosaurs on putting up with each other, in the romantic sense obviously, for eighty five years…”

Bucky squeezed Steve’s hand under the table.

“How much longer do you think he’s going to carry on?” he muttered into Steve’s shoulder.

“Well, at some point he’s going to start making innuendos, and then Pepper will stop him, but I would have expected him to get there by now,” Steve whispered back, “I didn’t think he was capable of talking this long without insinuating something.”

 “…How they did it, I will never know,” Tony continued, loudly, “but I don’t think I want to either, if you catch my drift…”

“Whoops, there he goes!” Steve smothered a laugh and Bucky had to duck his head to hide his smirk.

“Thank you for that, Tony.” Pepper cut him off before he could get any further. “Please raise your glasses to Steve and James, that they may have many more happy years together.”

Under all the kerfuffle of handing out glasses of champagne to the assembled Avengers, assorted hangers-on, a politician, and several vaguely famous people, Steve muttered in Bucky’s ear-

“How about we escape as soon as possible?”

Bucky nodded. As much as the Avengers were a well-meaning bunch, there was only so much time you could spend with them without feeling tired, especially when everyone else was drunk apart from you (with, of course, the exception of Natasha and her freaky alcohol tolerance).

After the sixth toast, (Tony was an over-excitable drunk) they managed to escape.

They were quiet in the elevator up to their floor. Bucky was lost in thoughts of how on earth did he manage to get this lucky, with amazingly supportive friends, a beautiful apartment and Steve. He didn’t have enough words to describe how special Steve was to him. There had been a long time when he had doubted that he could ever be this close to someone again, physically or emotionally. But it seemed that, even after seventy years of brain-washing and murder, he and Steve were closer than they had ever been, and it astounded him.

Steve was watching Bucky, the way his eyes were a million miles away, a smile on his lips, and how he didn’t even flinch when the lift jolted to a halt outside their apartment. He had come such a long way since he had allowed Steve to find him in a tiny Dutch village four years ago, after six months of wild searching across the globe. Then he had refused to let anyone within six feet of him, nightmares were a nightly occurrence, and as no one could get close enough to comfort him, he got so little sleep that he would often just pass out. That had been the scariest. But incredibly, one day, after being at Avengers Tower for six months, after a lot of hard work, blood, sweat and tears, Steve woke to the sounds of Bucky screaming. As usual he went and sat in the corridor outside Bucky’s room, so he could rush in if he sounded hurt. But he didn’t. Instead, the door creaked open, and Bucky cautiously sat down next to Steve. After about five minutes of silence, he leant over, and put his head on Steve’s shoulder. Things had only got better from there.

The doors of the elevator opened, allowing the pair to walk into the apartment.

Bucky collapsed over the arm of the couch, landing in a heap with a groan.

“Ugh, while I love those guys, right now, I’m really glad we got out of there.”

Steve sat by Bucky’s head, lifting it so that it was cushioned on his thighs.

“They are great either one at a time, or in small doses, but all of them, drunk… well, I’m surprised you were as polite as you were.”

Bucky scowled, but there was no heat in it. Instead he just butted his head into Steve’s hand like an affectionate cat asking to be stroked.

They sat in silence for what could have been minutes, or hours, watching each other. Steve combing his fingers through Bucky’s hair, his other hand lay on Bucky’s stomach, their fingers interlaced. For two people who spent so much of their lives and relationship _doing_ , far more than anything they enjoyed just _being_ together.

After an indefinite length of time, Steve shifted.

“Alright, I’ve gotta move.”

Bucky just whined, and tried to bury himself even more into Steve’s lap.

“Come on, Buck, my leg’s gone to sleep and I need food.”

“If I get up, will you make bacon sandwiches and can we eat them in bed?”

Steve smiled. “Ok then, you stay here, while I shower, then you shower while I cook.”

“Oh Captain, my Captain,” Bucky grinned, “you have a deal.”

* * *

 

A while later, showers had, food eaten, Steve and Bucky lay in bed facing each other in the silence.

They had been joking around as they ate, which soon ended in an all-out tickle fight, which wound down to quiet panting and the occasional giggle. This had now become silence, lying there facing each other, hands clasped between them, feet entangled over the sheets, just looking. The city traffic became white noise, and the late evening sunlight made the room glow with golden light.

It was surprisingly, incredibly intimate, lying there. There was no need to talk, move, or look anywhere other than at the other. Nothing was said. Nothing had to be said. The _I love you_ ’s and _you’re beautiful_ ’s and _I’m so proud of you_ ’s didn’t need to be said. But they were there all the same.

After an hour, or maybe several, they realised that the sun had long left the horizon. Steve leant across the space between them to place a chaste kiss on Bucky’s lips, before rolling over and pulling the sheets over himself, pulling Bucky close, so that his head rested over Steve’s heart.

Bucky broke the silence.

“You know, when I was younger, I would imagine what it would be like to celebrate the anniversary of a relationship with someone I cared about more than I thought I ever could. They were never anything like this. I never expected to have such generous friends and such a loving, caring partner,” Steve kissed his hair and pulled him closer, “but somehow, today has been better than anything I could ever have dreamed of.”

There was a long pause. Then:

“God, Stevie, I love you more than I ever thought was possible. Sometimes I love you so much it hurts.”

Another pause.

“I know, Buck. Me too.”

* * *

 

The next morning was one of those perfect sunlit mornings that only May will bring, where the light is equal parts warm and cool, and time seems to stand still, until all of a sudden it doesn’t.

This morning, it was Bucky that woke first, which was unusual as by this point in the day, Steve had usually long gone for his run with Sam. Not that he was complaining.

He snuggled closer to his partner under the sheets, relishing the warm arms that closed around him, and the familiar nose in his hair.

It was worth waking up early just to watch Steve like this, soft and sleepy, smiling with peaceful eyes, his face showing emotion that he usually hid. That was one of the things Bucky hated about the fact that Steve had been frozen. While it meant that they could be here together, in a world that was much more accommodating and free, it also meant that Steve had spent a few years alone, before the Avengers really became his friends. In those years Captain America had flourished, while Steve Rogers was depressed and lonely, hiding his feelings behind a mask that he forgot to take off even now, except when he was alone with Bucky, and even that was only a recent occurrence.

Pulling his mind back to the present, Bucky ran his hand through Steve’s hair, making it stand up, like a halo in the soft light.

Steve sighed and smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling up.

“Morning, gorgeous.”

“Morning, punk.”

They lay there, smiling at each other, still wondering how on earth they had gotten this lucky, to still be together, after all this time, to be able to be together without the fear of discovery that had filled the first part of their relationship. Somehow, sometimes, even after all this time, their relationship still felt new and precious, a shine that hadn’t been dimmed by seventy years, ice and brainwashing.

“Breakfast, sweetheart?”

“Sure, I’ll come and- Steve, what is that?”

Steve had pushed himself up off the bed, where he had been lying on his left side, showing his arm for the first time that morning. Something had changed. His arm was no longer pale scarless skin, but covered in stylised lines and swirls in vibrant blues, pale greys and deep scarlet. The lines created images and words that curled along his arm, from his fingers to his the top part of his chest.

Steve looked down, confused, then speechless.

“I… I don’t know. It’s… it’s your arm, right… Buck…I …where did it come from?”

“I don’t know, Stevie, and to be honest, I don’t really care, either, it’s beautiful.”

Bucky stood and walked over to where Steve was standing, his fingers running all over the patterns.

“I mean, look! There’s a snowflake here,” he stroked the inside of Steve’s wrist, “and this,” he touched the back of Steve’s shoulder, “I swear its Coney Island, with the Cyclone and the fireworks. And here,” a finger travelled down Steve’s arm, making him shiver, “guess what it says, Stevie. All the way down your arm. It says-”

“- ‘till the end of the line.” Steve’s voice was quiet, reverent. “Bucky, I-”

Steve couldn’t finish his sentence. Bucky had worn one of Steve’s shirts to bed, and it was a bit too big for him. The collar had just slipped down a bit at the back, and there, visible in the mirror, was a streak of red and yellow.

“What is it? Steve, what’s wrong?”

“Bucky, take your shirt off.”

“Aww, Stevie, you going to take me back to bed?”

“No, Buck, look.”

Steve lifted up the hem of Bucky’s shirt, and Bucky twisted to see the reflection of his back in the mirror. They both stopped, and stared. Then Steve slowly lifted Bucky’s shirt over his head, and they could see it all now.

Steve’s shield.

It was in a similar design to Steve’s arm, made of lines and swirls, close together to form pictures and words. It lay across his shoulders, falling as far as his waist, in reds, blues and white, with streaks of golden yellow around the outside, like sunshine. The words _‘till the end of the line_ were etched across the star in the centre, gold amongst the white lines surrounding it.

Steve stepped around to examine it.

“Oh God, baby, it’s stunning. There’s the Avengers logo here,” a soft brush on the outermost ring, just above Bucky’s waist, “and a paintbrush” a line traced across his shoulder blade, “and…” there was a long pause.

“What is it, love?”

“My mom. Oh, Buck, it’s amazing, it’s so real, I… I don’t even know where this came from, but it’s perfect.”

Bucky just turned around, and held Steve in his arms. “I know.”

“What?”

“I know what they are. Do you remember Ms. Reed’s class? We must have been, what eight? Do you remember discussing-”

“-soulmates.” Steve whispered. “I do, Buck. Do you think…”

“I do think, Stevie. We bonded.”

* * *

 

“Sirs, Mr Wilson has just arrived.”

Steve looked frantically at Bucky.

“Do we tell them? Cos you know what happens to bonded couples, do you want that extra fame?”

Bucky looked up from his cereal and sighed.

“Steve, people are going to find out anyway. With the Avengers, it’s a question of how long until one of us get injured enough to get us in the med bay, or until one of us forgets to put a shirt on. With the general public, it’s going to be someone catching a glimpse of one of us in a too tight or too bug shirt, or you forgetting to wear a glove over that hand, or an overheard conversation, but people are going to find out.”

Steve was silent for a moment.

“Well, I guess we can’t get any more famous, and any money we get given we can donate. To be honest, I’d prefer to be famous for loving someone as amazing as you are than for being whatever it is we are already.”

“Sap.”

“Takes one to know one.”

Bucky dropped a quick kiss on Steve’s lips.

“Go on, babe, he’ll be here in a second.”

Steve just wrapped his arms around Bucky’s waist and hid his face in the back of his neck.

“Can we just ask JARVIS to send him away and we can just hide in bed all day? I don’t want to deal with people today.”

Bucky raised an eyebrow.

“You don’t count, you’re my soulmate.” Steve kissed the back of his neck.

Bucky turned around.

“How did you know I was thinking that?”

Steve shrugged.

“You’re predictable enough, if people know you well enough.”

The elevator chimed.

“Go, Stevie, he’s here!” Bucky stood up, slapped Steve’s ass, and went to greet Sam.

* * *

 

There was a cute little coffee shop two blocks away from Avengers Tower. The owners, an old, Italian couple, always had Sam and Steve’s regular orders ready for them when they finished their run, and they would take them outside to sit on one of the little white tables by the sidewalk, half hidden by over-flowing hanging baskets.

After some ten minutes of silence, Sam spoke up.

“Alright, spit it out. What’s bothering you?”

Steve looked up from the coffee he had been stirring for the last ten minutes.

“Nothing’s bothering me, Sam.”

Sam’s look said _yeah, right, and I’m Beyoncé_.

“No, really, Sam. Well, nothing that’s not under control.”

“Nothing to do with the fact that today you ran wearing long sleeves and gloves. Which you’ve never done before? If it was January I wouldn’t question it, but it’s May, so I am.”

Steve sighed.

“Sam, I told you it’s nothing. If it is something then I will tell you, ok?”

“Ok, just know that you can come to me with anything, buddy.”

“I know, Sam. Thank you.”

* * *

 

“Two hours! That’s all it took! Two hours with me before Sam got suspicious! I swear he must be psychic, I mean how else would he know?”

Steve was pacing around the lounge of their apartment, while Bucky was in the kitchen sorting out groceries.

“Well, judging by the fact that all of a sudden you wear long sleeves and gloves to go running in May, I’m not surprised he thought something was up.”

“Well, he did say that, but…”

Bucky left his groceries and wrapped his arms around Steve.

“Stevie, baby, I love you, but at times you are incredibly dense. You are a creature of habit, and Sam knows that, so the instant you change something, of course he’s going to suspect something!”

Steve buried his head into Bucky’s shoulder, petulantly, ruining the image slightly by kissing his partner’s neck, just to feel the shiver run through him.

“But why? Why do you have to be right all the time?”

Bucky laughed.

“Because I’m me and you love me for it.”

“No, I love you for your cooking and the sex.”

Bucky squeezed Steve tightly.

“That’s not all and you know it.”

“Mmm, I’ll think about it. Throw me my phone, then go make me some food while I think.”

Bucky gave him one last squeeze, before picking Steve up, putting him, laughing, on the couch and placed his phone in his hands, winking.

“Whatever you say, sugar.”

Steve listened to Bucky singing as he cooked. He didn’t think he would ever get used to this, Bucky being around, Bucky being happy, Bucky being his _soulmate_. Just the thought made him feel warm inside.

He had a text from Sam.

_Mr. Slow 11:03_

_Man, you need to look at this._

Attached was a web address, which Steve opened. Then nearly dropped his phone.

“Bucky. Bucky! You need to see this.”

Bucky wandered over, leaned against the back of the couch and gasped.

**_Soulmates?_ **

_Following the much anticipated occasion of their eighty-fifth anniversary, rumour has it that our two favourite super-soldiers, Steve Rogers, better known as Captain America, and his partner James Barnes, the Winter Soldier, might be soulmates!_

_Seen in Central Park today, Captain Rogers had his left arm completely covered, which was of little note until, our photographer caught on camera a pattern on Capt. Rogers’ wrist which could be the stylised Mark of Sergeant Barnes metal arm._

_Further information shows an image, also from this morning, of Barnes with blue and red appearing out of the top of his shirt. Could this be his Mark?_

_In an interview with the Avengers last year, Capt. Rogers confirmed that he could not get a tattoo due to the super-serum he was injected with during the war, so there are few possible explanations for these marks._

_Click here for images of Capt. Rogers and Sgt. Barnes’ Marks,  here for comparisons between their possible Marks from the photos and known Soul Marks and here for concept art of what the whole Marks look like._

They were silent for a minute. Then Steve said:

“We need to talk to Pepper. We’ll need to make a statement. Oh, God, Bucky, I’m not sure I’m ready to go public with this. Why can’t I keep you all to myself Can we lock ourselves in the bedroom till they forget about us?” He pouted like an angry child.

Bucky sat down on the couch next to him and pulled his partner to his chest, poking his sides until he giggled and squirmed.

“Damn, that sounds like a good idea. But, I have a feeling that Tony would try and spy on us, like the creepy bastard he is. Come on, we’ve got to tell Pepper, and the Avengers, if they don’t know already, we can make a statement after that. Then we can hide in the bedroom for as long as you like, baby.”

Steve chuckled at Bucky trying (and failing) to sound sexy, and got his ass pinched for his efforts.

Bucky lay down, pulling Steve on top of him, wrapping him up in his arms, wishing that they didn’t have to do this. This was their thing, their private thing, proving to them once and for all that, yes, they were meant to be together, that they hadn’t died because they needed each other, and this was where they were supposed to be, right here, right now, together and utterly, utterly in love.

That was how Pepper found them when she came up to their apartment an hour later.

“Sorry, for barging in, boys, but we need to talk about this article. Or these articles, as there are now several.”

She sat down on the nearest chair and unlocked her tablet. It was downright disturbing how at home she was in their apartment.

“I’m assuming that you have seen them? Right, well, as you probably guessed, we need to make a statement.”

Neither Steve nor Bucky had bothered to move when Pepper came in. It was one of the drawbacks of living in Avengers Tower: random Avengers or hangers-on tended to drop in with no warning. At least no-one was naked this time (Clint claimed he was never going to recover from that incident).

Steve lifted his head and fixed Pepper with his best puppy dog eyes.

“Do we have to? Can we just tell the Avengers and leave everyone else to guess?”

Bucky snorted. “What a betting pool that would be.”

Pepper looked confused.

“What do you mean? They all know you’re not- oh, God, I’m an idiot. They’re right aren’t they?”

Bucky snorted again. “Wow, give the girl a prize.”

“Bucky!” Steve pinched him. “That was uncalled for, stop being grumpy!”

“You know what else is uncalled for?” Bucky was trying to sound sexy again.

“That voice?” Steve giggled, then squawked as Bucky slapped his ass.

“Well, if I’m going to have to deal with Avengers, media vultures, or overly amorous super-soldiers I’m going to need a coffee.”

“Yes, Pepper, of-of course, I’ll go- Bucky stop it!- get you one.” Steve disentangled himself from Bucky, who was sucking at his neck, and ran from the room, just dodging the metal arm that threatened to pull him back.

Coffee made, they sat down to discussion.

“So,” Pepper started, “have you any preference as to how you would like to tell the public? I can get some reporters here as soon as you want, as most of them are outside our front door asking for a statement, or…”

She trailed off.

Bucky shifted in his seat.

“Can we do a pre-recorded statement? It’s just I’m still a bit uncomfortable with the press after I came back, there’s always one reporter that thinks I’m still a HYDRA agent, or something.”

Steve nodded.

“I think that’s the best way. That way we can say what we want to without anyone interrupting or asking us stupid and insulting questions.” Steve had never been a huge fan of the press after how they treated him after he was defrosted- following him around like a pack of wolves preying on his emotional turmoil.

Pepper nodded.

“I agree. Neither of you have had exactly _good_ relationships with the press since you went public with your relationship.” That was an incident no one wanted to remember.

She stood gathering up her papers.

“I will go and find out about when we can get you filmed. In the meantime, draft a speech, and decide on how you are going to tell the others, if they don’t know already.”

Pepper turned towards the elevator, then paused and turned back.

“It’s movie night tonight, so you could tell them then, which gives you five hours to draft your statement. See you later.”

And she was gone.

* * *

 

Five hours later, statement drafted and approved by numerous PR minions, Pepper and Fury, all the Avengers, plus their ‘hangers-on’ as Pepper, Jane and Darcy were affectionately, though not imaginatively, named, were scattered on and around the couches, armchairs, beanbags and enormous cushions around the main screen on the communal floor.

The usual pre-movie banter was in full swing, as Sam and Clint tried to out-do each other with bird puns in between fits of giggles which they would later deny) as Natasha beat the over the head with several pillows in a half-hearted attempt to make them stop. Pepper was trying to persuade Tony that his Iron Man suit was not the best outfit to wear to a movie night, citing the comfort of those sitting near him, and the sanity of everyone in the vicinity, because he would start complaining, no, Tony, really, you will. Thor was describing in great detail how he had defeated some great enemy, accompanied by enthusiastic gestures with Mjolnir, which Jane ducked with the ease of long practise, and Wanda and Pietro sat with Darcy, all three trying and failing not to giggle at Thor’s choice of clothing: duckie print boxers and red cape.

It was easy enough for Steve and Bucky to wander in and sot down without being noticed straight away, but of course it wasn't long before they were seen.

"Hey, fossils!" Natasha greeted them from underneath Clint, who was one of the few people allowed to manhandle her without dying a quick and painful death.

Unfortunately, she said this loud enough to be heard by half the room, and that half of the room happened to include Tony and Darcy, the two people most likely to have seen those articles due to their insatiable internet habits, and Tony, Darcy, Clint and Sam, the people who have either no verbal filter, or were comfortable enough with both Steve and Bucky to speak their mind without offending them. And therefore the people who could, and would, and inappropriate questions about those damn articles. Or anything, for that matter.

“Capsicle, Robocop,” Tony addressed them as he crossed the room, leaping onto the coffee table, as he usually did when making any sort of vaguely interesting statement or question, but forgetting that he was wearing his suit.

“We obviously need to ask you some not at all probing and definitely not inappropriate questions about some scandalous articles that appeared on the internet earlier today,” he continued from his seat among the former coffee table, “concerning a certain development in your relationship.”

If the crash hadn’t caused the room to fall silent and focus on Tony then that statement certainly would have.

There was a pointed silence.

“Tony…” Sam said, warningly, “We discussed this. No inappropriate questions, no innuendos, and no asking them if they don’t want to talk about it.”

Steve really wanted to tell the Avengers. They were the closest thing he had to family, apart from Bucky, and the Bonding was easily the best thing to happen to him since he came out of the ice, maybe even since he was seven, and a scruffy boy pushed John Price off him in a fight behind the school hall. But there was no way he was going to tell them anything without Bucky’s approval and consent. There was no way he was risking upsetting him by being thoughtless.

Bucky slipped his hand into Steve’s, and squeezed. He knew how much he wanted to tell the Avengers, and Bucky didn’t mind in the slightest. No matter what had happened between them in the past, they were all family now, and if he couldn’t face telling his family, how was he going to tell the press?

Half an hour later, and even Tony had no more (appropriate) questions left, and after Steve and Bucky had replaced their shirts, they all settled down to watch whichever movie someone had picked out, although no one was really watching it.

Darcy and Jane were watching Steve and Bucky, quietly cooing over how they would unconsciously stroke each other’s Marks, while Thor watched Jane. He was undeniably happy that his teammates had found their soulmates, but couldn’t help but wonder if he had found his.

Pietro and Wanda were silent, lost in thoughts of their parents, who had been a Marked couple. Vision watched them, a shadow crossing his face. He knew he didn’t have a soulmate, but it didn’t bother him. He was just curious.

Clint was debating why the Mark on Steve’s arm had a kitten on it, and if he would die if he asked Bucky about it.

Bruce was thinking about the biological implications of Bonding, and if there was a way of simulating it to give the benefits to a wider percentage of the population.

Natasha was thinking about her soulmate. She had long made peace with her asexuality, but still wondered if she had a platonic soulmate. She had seen the pain in Steve’s eyes when she first met him, as it was an expression she saw in the mirror each day, but after the events in Washington, and Bucky’s subsequent return she had seen that brokenness and hurt melt away, the final vestiges burnt out by his Bonding. It had happened to Bucky too. She remembered when she first met the Winter Soldier when she was being trained in the Red Room, and the first thing that had struck her nine year old self was the utter lack of humanity and emotion. That Soldier was unrecognizable as the soldier in front of her now, and it begged the question: if she found her soulmate, would that help to heal her too?

Tony was watching Steve and Bucky too. He, like Natasha, thought back to how Steve had been during the Battle of New York, and its aftermath, and, even though he and Steve had their differences, he rejoiced unreservedly in his friend’s happiness.

Pepper watched everyone. As she had been acquainted with the news for several hours now, there was no need for her to digest this, apparently astounding, development. Instead, she just watched everyone else, seeing old pain mixed with new joy on the faces of each one.

Sam just smiled. He had known what made Steve happy for a long time, but now? He had never seen him so content. Both of them seemed to shine in the darkness of the room, lighting it up even as the sun set across the New York skyline.

But as for Steve and Bucky, they saw none of this, the small smiles and sideways glances, the shadowed eyes and slumped shoulders. They were too caught up in their own little world, which was filled only with loving touches and held gazes, soft kisses and murmured words of love and affection, a bubble of pure happiness and love that will last for the rest of time.

* * *

 

_And now, in the last few days, there have been a number of reports suggesting that Captain Steve Rogers, better known as Captain America, and his long term boyfriend Sergeant James Barnes, the Winter Soldier, have been Bonded._

_In reply to the call for confirmation of the rumours, the couple, based at Avengers Tower in New York, have released a statement._

[The news cuts to a feed of Steve and Bucky. They are obviously holding hands, out of shot. Steve addresses the camera.]

_There have been several reports recently stating that Bucky and I have been Soul Bonded, which, we are proud to announce, are true._

_However, due to the nature of our announcement, and our place in society, we ask you to respect our privacy. This is something very special to both of us, and if we chose not to share something about our Bond, or any other aspect of our lives, please, do not keep on asking. We will not tell you, and it is not your right to know. We are just two young men in a century we do not yet entirely understand. We did not ask for the fame that comes with our jobs, or the fame that comes with being Marked._

[Bucky continues.]

_We know that there are prizes, and social and economic benefits linked to becoming Marked, and many people view it as good luck to donate money to a newly Marked couple. Due to the fact that we neither asked for, nor need these benefits, we ask you to send any money you would send to us to the VA, where it will be put to better use than we ever could._

[Steve slipped and arm around Bucky’s waist, leaning towards him to finish the statement.]

_We thank you all for your support, and, please, give generously to the VA. I wouldn’t be talking to you now if it wasn’t for them._

[The statement ends. Cut back to the news presenter.]

_That was Captain Rogers and Sergeant Barnes on their Soul Bonding. They are only the third celebrity pair in recorded history to Bond, and one of 15 recorded same sex couples...._

[The newsreader continues, but what no one sees, is that after the camera stops rolling, Bucky leans into Steve's arms, and Steve buries his face in his hair. Pepper, who was standing behind the camera, had to turn away, because there was something about this moment that was more intimate than any she had yet witnessed. It was a reassurance that everything they had been through thus far had a purpose: that they should be together, and even the universe had to comply.]

**Author's Note:**

> Please please please review/comment, because then I can edit it and make it something I don't hate.
> 
> I have made a post about this fic, which will hopefully clear up some problems I expect people to have with the fic [here](http://daydreams-beautiful.tumblr.com/post/145565369680/our-souls-touched-across-an-ocean-and-a-century)
> 
> As always, I'm on Tumblr [here, where I cry over Civil War](a-single-dream-is.tumblr.com) and [here, where I talk about my fics and accept prompts](daydreams-beautiful.tumblr.com), come chat sometime?


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